CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE OF EDUCATION PARAPROFESSIONALS

WHEREAS, the AFT has been at the forefront of efforts to reform education and develop schools that more fully meet the needs of individual students; and

WHEREAS, over the past 25 years, education paraprofessionals have shown themselves to be adaptable to changes in educational systems and classrooms by taking on more responsibility in the classroom, including reinforcing instruction in small-group situations, tutoring individual students, maintaining computer labs, producing instructional materials, and a host of other duties-, and

WHEREAS, these added responsibilities, as well as the potential for other, new types of responsibilities, generate a need for the development of certification/licensure or standards for the hiring, training and placement of education paraprofessionals so as to ensure that paraprofessionals have the skills necessary to work with students and the background and training to grow with a changing educational system-.

RESOLVED, that AFT support and encourage state federations in their efforts to enact legislation to create state certification/licensure programs for education paraprofessionals that meet the following criteria:

• a high school diploma or GED for entry-level positions;

• include all school districts in a state;

• guarantee provision of on-going training by school districts or state agencies to enable paraprofessionals to meet certification/licensure standards and improve their skills as they advance;

• provide specific competencies for paraprofessionals to achieve;

• "hold harmless" currently employed education paraprofessionals; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT disseminate suggested guidelines for the development of state certification for paraprofessionals.